1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector for electrically connecting a connection object.
2. The Prior Art
In recent years, a card with an IC or a memory built therein is widely used. In order to connect the card of the type, various kinds of connectors have been proposed. As one of those connectors, there is known a card connector which is prevented from being broken even if the card inserted and connected is forcibly removed.
For example, such a card connector is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2003-243090. The card connector comprises a housing for receiving a card so that the card is inserted and removed in forward and backward directions, an ejector movable forward and backward in the housing together with the card, an ejector locking member for locking the movement of the ejector with respect to the housing at a card fitting position, a card locking member to be engaged with the card for locking the movement of the card with respect to the ejector, and an elastic member arranged to be increased in elastic force applied upon the card locking member following the forward movement of the card and the ejector.
In the above-mentioned card connector, the card locking member is, actually, a leaf spring of a cantilevered shape. Therefore, the leaf spring is required to have an elastically deformable portion of a long distance. Accordingly, the above-mentioned card connector is difficult to be reduced in size.
Another card connector is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2003-308910. The card connector comprises a slider to be engaged with a card inserted in the card connector, an ejecting spring for urging the slider in a card ejecting direction, a heart cam for controlling the movement of the slider; a locking mechanism for locking the slider, and a leaf spring mounted to the slider to be engaged with the card. The card connector is designed so that a card locking force of the leaf spring is controlled depending upon a position of the card.
However, such a mechanism for controlling the locking force requires a large space. Therefore, the above-mentioned card connector is difficult to be reduced in size. Further, because of a complicated structure, it is difficult to maintain the reliability.